


Nothing's Going to Hurt You Tonight, Not On My Watch

by ilyena_sylph, Merfilly



Series: Get Out of the Fridge [6]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-09
Updated: 2016-10-09
Packaged: 2018-08-20 10:50:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8246266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilyena_sylph/pseuds/ilyena_sylph, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: Anakin is not exactly content to let it go at Riyo's assurance.





	

Anakin had listened to the rest of the discussion -- he couldn't help much, but he did know a little, here and there -- while he turned over another option completely. 

He still had his bond to his padawan. If he could get deep enough into a trance, reach far enough... Ahsoka might hear him. It wasn't something that was encouraged as it required too close a bond to communicate like that over interstellar distances, but he might as well try. The Senators had to go, and Anakin got up to go back to Padmé's quarters. It was quiet, there. More quiet than most of Coruscant. 

"Sorry about all of the politics, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, following him back. "Adi spent a good bit of time teaching me how to listen to them, and guide them, as Siri… Siri never could abide it. We need every ally we can get, if we are to survive." Speaking of both women hurt, deep inside.

"I know, Master," Anakin answered -- and he did, truly, understand. He hadn't minded. "I understand -- I just don't have any head for it, which you well know. It was... good to see both of them, though." 

"It was," Obi-Wan admitted. "So now we wait? Or do you have a plan?" he asked.

"I'm not sure I'd call it a plan, but I have an idea," Anakin answered, keeping moving towards the apartment. "I'm going to see if I can reach Ahsoka." 

Obi-Wan had to raise an eyebrow at that. "And this is a good idea why? The last she knew, unfortunately, you had Fallen. Do you really want to go against her in a potential mental showdown if she is in protective mode? 

"That looks ugly to me, as an idea, given how much she is your padawan in so many ways." He then reached out to touch Anakin's shoulder lightly. "I know you're worried, but it shouldn't be that much longer before they'll be here."

'Worried' didn't actually cover it, but this was Obi-Wan talking. He had to half-nod, aware Obi-Wan was right on some level, but... "I didn't say it was a good idea, I just said I was going to do it. And... do you really think she, of all people, wouldn't be able to tell the difference?

"You could." 

Obi-Wan considered that, then sighed. "I'm still selling her short on how skilled she has become, aren't I?" He did all he could to not slow them down, letting Anakin guide until they actually were safely back at the apartment. 

"Yep," Anakin agreed dryly. Not that he hadn't had his own moments of that, but... he was so proud of her, too. "You're going to have to watch the door," he admitted, "given how far into trance I think I'm going to have to go. Please try not to jump out the window again?" 

"It was just the one time, Anakin," Obi-Wan protested, but he settled to guard them both, his body coiling with tension that came from being reduced to a fighter, no matter how good he was at it. 

Anakin nodded, grateful that all of Padmé's staff had decided to ignore that he was basically living out of her quarters without her, even more grateful that they were ignoring that Obi-Wan was here as well. He settled deep inside the apartment, his back to one of the walls, and sank into trance. Sank, and sank, until the world faded away and all there was was the Force, humming low and bright and powerful, binding everything into a whole that took no notice of distance or time.

One of those bonds, bright and intent... was to his turbulent, passionate padawan. She was out there, alive, and now that he was sure of that he could reach for her. Could reach for her, could touch his connection to her and have some surety she was going to be there... //Snips?// 

On a ship bound for Coruscant, a fast little corvette with Corellian SecForce backup, Ahsoka suddenly stiffened. She got up and moved away, using a very sharp 'stay' hand motion at Rex to stop him. She had to get somewhere quieter, and commandeered the 'fresher, locking it even as she mulled over that whisper in her mind.

Her name, the one only he used, his voice… all of it made her want to trust him, but the saber burn was a still tender scar marring the orange of her shoulder as a reminder.

Should she block him out? The Force was thrumming, and she gave over to her instincts, guided by her hope.

//Skyguy?// she asked cautiously, blocking all concept of her whereabouts from her own mind.

Relief hammered through him at hearing her, at knowing what Riyo had told him was true. His Snips was safe, alive... brave, brilliant, impossible padawan. //Hey there,// he murmured, low and soft. //It's -- it's _me_ , Snips. Not -- not Vader. You're okay. You're... really okay.// 

//Okay. Say I can believe that,// Ahsoka responded, even as she latched onto Anakin's mind, firming the connection between them. //Why are you reaching out to touch my mind like this? What if that piece of filth uses you again to track me?//

//He's dead, Snips. The -- the Chancellor, the Sith -- he's dead. Obi-Wan and Yoda killed him,// Anakin answered, holding on to her just as tight as she had hold of him. //You got Padmé out safe. Is -- is she -- //

//I have her safe, Skyguy,// Ahsoka sent with quiet, gentle love for his worry over the Senator. //And really? Good. Master Kenobi must be okay; you don't sound wrecked about him.// This was almost impossible, given how she had last seen him, but … it gave her true hope that they weren't going to be right back in a running fight on Coruscant.

//He's okay,// Anakin agreed, once the feeling of steel bands snapping from around his chest finally let go. She was safe, she was okay, she wasn't -- she hadn't -- //...and... the baby?//

The giggle was so clear in her mind. //Loud, stinky, and obnoxious… both of them,// she sent back, just to go ahead and both reassure him and shock him in one.

//Wait, what, _both?!_ // Anakin demanded, while wanting to fall over -- which was a little difficult when he wasn't entirely in his body. //I didn't -- she didn't say -- // . 

//She didn't know, Skyguy. But yeah, Rexter's real confused how a batch can be a boy and girl, though he thinks the boy's ghost eyes are pretty great to see.// Ahsoka pushed a little energy his way, through the bond, to gently buoy him up. She had plenty; Drall had let them all catch up on food and sleep.

// _Rex_?!?! Rex is with you?! How did he not -- what -- // Anakin couldn't manage coherent thoughts, hope and panic and delight and confusion all flashing through him at once. 

That sobered her, as she had more or less separated Rex from the horror of facing her own men, dodging them, trying not to kill them even as she tried to get to safety.

//He had listened to Fives, Master. He had taken care of his, intending to get it fixed when he got back to you. Don't be angry with him, please! He really thought he would have more time to save the Vod'e, after Mandalore.//

//...I'm not angry,// Anakin answered, leaning into her soothing tone, her steadying voice, //I just... Obi-Wan is in _pieces_ over Cody and the 212th turning on him, he said he's been hunted even here... but Rex is... He's safe. He's safe, and...// 

//He's safe. He washed your smelly babies after I caught them,// she added, just to give him a happier thing to hold onto… making sure all her affection for the 'smelly' babies came through. //Poor guy really would have rather been giving Padmé support, but he handled them both pretty darn well.// With some effort, she called up that first moment when they had gotten both swaddled infants and mom into a bed together and passed it to him.

//Oh.... oh, Ahsoka... she looks so tired, but she's... she's really okay, and they're...// Wrinkly and squashed and red, not the images of babies you saw in holos, but... they were hers, and his, and perfect. 

And Palpatine had tried to take them from him. Take him from them. //Ahsoka... tell me about what Rex found? Fives was...// 

//Pretty out of it but Rex caught enough.// Her tone was more grim than he'd ever heard her. //He slipped off on Mandalore, found a … well, chop-shop, I guess. Got that chip out of his head, and then had a slicer scour it.// Ahsoka was very unhappy about all of that, because she hadn't known the risk he was taking, too busy plotting and strategizing with Bo-Katan. //It was designed to fully take over the upper functions, suppress them so the orders on the chips could not be ignored.//

She could feel the winds of rage rising as she sent that intel along. //Master! I swear on the plains of Shili, if you go and get yourself lost in anger, I **will** tear you down!// she pushed at him, a promise to never let him be that monster and a warning for him to pull it together.

//I won't,// he answered, //I -- I can't. I can't do that again, I can't be that again, even just what I _can_ remember is bad enough. I just.. the thought of that happening to our men, to all the _Vod'e_ , because of someone I trusted so much... I really wish he wasn't dead already. 

//But he is. Is... can we shut it down, now that it's been activated? Can we get them back, Snips?// 

//I don't know, Skyguy. We really haven't talked about it much, because of everything else. I know he used a modified droid popper on a single vod to bring him around, but… not sure how to adapt that to the company, let alone the legion and beyond.// She let her pride in handling himself like that come through, as well as her love for the men that had made it so hard to face them like that.

That wasn't the answer he wanted... but it was a start. It was somewhere to start with, and there wasn't a technological puzzle in the galaxy he couldn't figure out if you just gave him the right tools. If a droid popper worked to bring a vod around, then -- later, once Rex could tell him the schematics. But at least... at least now he could tell his brother what had happened to Cody, and that there was a chance. //We'll figure out a way. I... I think this is about to knock me out, Snips, it's...// 

//Not the best way to talk to me, no. But Master,// and the word was wrapped in love and loyalty both. //I am glad to hear you. We will be there soon.//

She was going to be lucky to crawl out of this 'fresher on her own, to be honest, and she had been far more rested than what she felt in him.

//I love you, kiddo. Bail and Riyo will be glad to see you.// Anakin sent, and started letting go of the link, letting himself start to surface back towards the physical reality of his exhausted-again body. 

Obi-Wan was at his side in a heartbeat, having been fretting over the very tenuous connection between spirit and body. "Easy, Anakin, easy." 

Anakin opened his eyes, saw his Master in double-vision and closed them again, but he leaned into his Master's arm, his body. "They're safe. They're on their way back," he managed to say. "...Padmé had... twins? One has ghost eyes...?" 

Oh, oh his head hurt again, but at least it didn't feel torn and bruised, just tired... 

"Twins?" That amused Obi-Wan some, even as he fretted over the way all of the fatigue was hitting Anakin. "Fairly certain I have this place as secure as I can get it, so let me help you to bed, Anakin.

"I am glad to know that it's confirmed, but I wish you could have been patient and not used up all you got back from the last two sleeps."

Anakin grumbled low in his throat at the chiding, shaking his head a little. "...had to _know_ , Master. It... she's..." 

"One is your angel, then there are your children, and the other is your padawan," Obi-Wan said with a little sigh. "All the people you love in one place, and you didn't know how they were."

"Not all," Anakin replied, re-opening his eyes to glare at his Master, "but I knew how you were. Snips's worried 'bout you. Was." 

Obi-Wan felt a lump in his throat at being in that small category of people Anakin cared for. He didn't answer, just got Anakin to bed and out of his boots at the very least.

"Sleep, Anakin. I will keep you safe."

"Mm-hm," Anakin agreed quietly, and dropped unconscious.

+++

The Corellian ship was stopped at the blockade, but a reminder that broaching Corellia's neutrality when this was a consular ship was enough to get them clearance, without giving away who was aboard. Padmé had been prepared to step forward, but Sena had been more than capable of handling it.

Now, as they settled in at the Correllian embassy, Padmé and her two loyal protectors, both in cloaks, stepped off behind Sena and were met by Garm Bel Iblis. Rex and Ahsoka each had a child, carrying them in special armored carriers on their backs. Threepio, still quiet from his long time in shutdown, followed closely behind Ahsoka, his sensory functions trained on Master Ani's and Mistress Padmé's children. 

Bel Iblis immediately stepped forward and took her hands, squeezing them. "I am very relieved to find you unharmed. We feared the worst when chaos erupted and you weren't there to stomp on it," he told her. 

"There was a credible threat to my life, Garm, and I listened to caution this time." Padmé waited to see if he made any mention of the pair with her, and was pleased when he did not. Threepio, so long at her side, would of course (for better or worse) go unnoticed.

"Things are mostly quiet on the violence front, but if you wish to summon your security, or have mine take you to your destination, I understand."

"If we could have a transport, actually, to my landing pad? I don't want to be in the public eye at all until I can make it to the Senate." 

Garm's glance then, at the pair with their precious burdens, made it clear he had been fully briefed by Sena, and he nodded. "I am very glad you are being so reasonable. Sena, will you do the honors?" He then leaned in as if kissing the cheek of his friend. "Do be very careful, Padmé," he said softly. "There is still danger."

She gave the barest nod when he straightened, and then followed Sena to the enclosed speeder, eager to get home. Ahsoka had said Anakin was safe, and she was so eager to be reunited with the father of her children.


End file.
